Literary Agent Spotlight: Eric Smith

Years as a literary agent: 11 years

Books/Authors I’ve repped: National Book Award longlisted The Desolation of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum, Forever for the Culture by Steven Underwood, 13 Ways to Say Goodbye by Kate Fussner (on the ALA Rainbow List), the Junior Library Guild honoree Roll for Love by M.K. England, and Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon by New York Times-bestselling author Mike Chen.

Current #MSWL: High-concept romance, diverse and inclusive kid-lit, accessible sci-fi and fantasy, and genre-blending upmarket and literary fiction.

Tell us about your new agency, Neighborhood Literary.

We opened up in 2025. We’re an agency that, in addition to repping so many wonderful authors and their beautiful books, makes a big effort to give back to the creative communities we’re so lucky to benefit from. Based in Philadelphia, we run free monthly events, sometimes virtual, sometimes in-person, with industry professionals. The goal is to try to make the process feel less mysterious and intimidating, because publishing should feel more accessible than it currently is.

What made you want to make the shift into forming your own agency?

I had some wildly brilliant colleagues and mentors at P.S. Literary who taught me so much, including Carly Watters (if you don’t subscribe to the podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, you really should), and it was just time to have something of my own. If I didn’t do it now, I probably wouldn’t ever have done it. I have two high energy kiddos at home! Time is limited.

I also really wanted to create an agency with that hyperlocal focus. While yes, we rep writers from all over the place, we zero in on the community we call home. It’s my hope that in the coming years we can do more outside of Philadelphia.

You’ve always provided accessible education to authors, and it seems to be a big part of your ethos at Neighborhood Literary. Tell us about how you’re engaging with authors in this way, and how you feel it strengthens both the individuals and the publishing industry as a whole?

Thank you, I try to! So we run these monthly events (when we can), that bring industry pros—from the area and from away—into town to chat with writers. We wrapped up 2025 with a standing-room-only event with the one and only Kate McKean (please check out her book, Write Through It) doing an AMA at American Grammar, a gorgeous bookshop café here in Philly. She came down from New York and it was astonishing.

We also run a Discord for writers in the region, and I’ve witnessed local authors signing with agents and publishing freelance pieces as a result of the connections and networking they’ve made in that space.

Publishing is in a weird spot these days. Between book bans and industry consolidation, it feels scary. One of the ways we get through it all is lifting each other up. Community is the answer.

As both an author and an agent, what has being an author taught you about agency work and vice versa?

Being an author while working in the industry has taught me to focus on what I can control.

You aren’t in control of reviews or distribution. You can wrangle TikTok with your bare hands to make your book go viral, but that will only rip the joy out of the experience. Instead, you focus on what you can do. Engage with your community, talk to booksellers, reach out to libraries, pitch yourself for festivals. Hustle a little, when you can, and focus on whatever is next. That stuff you can control.

Being an agent while also being a writer has taught me that comparison is the thief of joy.

It can be really hard sometimes watching colleagues scoop up projects I desperately wanted to work on, and end up landing an impossibly massive deal. My group chats are certainly full of “why not me” messages. But then you have to dust yourself off and focus on the work, or you’ll miss out on what’s next. This happens to writers, too. Wondering why a pal got a bigger book deal, a splashier launch, more sales in other languages…

Stay informed. See what you can learn, sure. But if your eyes are always on someone else’s paper, they won’t be on your own.

What current trends in publishing are interesting or exciting to you?

I’m still pretty hyped about the horror boom that’s happening. I think it’s gonna get a bit harder to sell here and there, which is what always happens when a category or genre has a big moment (look at romantasy), but I do love the push in that space. Especially for scary kid-lit books.

It’s also so thrilling to watch graphic novels for kids having even more of a moment. They’ve always been big, yes. But kids who struggle with bigger books can find accessibility in graphic novels, and I think that’s beautiful. And if you’re reading this and are someone who discounts comics as not reading, we can go fight outside.

What advice would you give to writers querying for the first time?

To take your sweet time. Publishing is an industry where nothing happens and then EVERYTHING HAPPENS. There’s no rush. Do your research, pitch folks who are a good fit. And then make sure you lean on your community.

It can be really demoralizing sending your work out there and getting passes, because it can feel like someone is passing on YOU, and not your work. It’s a really hard thing to separate, I know. So make sure you’re actively talking to your writer buddies, but also your pals outside of books—have something else you’re chasing that also brings you joy.

What are a few key qualities you can pinpoint that contribute to an author finding success in traditional publishing?

Communication is a big one. Talking with your agent, your publishing team, your community. That’s the way to stay on top of things, for sure.

Also managing expectations is a big one. Not every book is THE book. You build a career, story after story, event after event. Sure, sometimes it does happen like lightning, but more often than not it takes a minute. It’s a stroll, not a sprint.

And just like…be kind? People who are kind to one another go further than anyone else, and are thought of far more fondly.

Can you share an author success story that you’re particularly proud of?

Mike Chen and his books. It took him a while to find an agent, and when we finally started working together, it took me nearly a year and a half to find the right editor for his debut, Here and Now and Then. It went on to get critical acclaim, and we are—a dozen books into his career now? He’s a New York Times bestseller who has written Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel properties. It’s wonderful watching him soar.

What does an ideal agent/author partnership look like for you?

Someone who can do everything we’ve chatted about here. Communicate, manage expectations, be kind, connect with their community, keep their eyes on their own paper while staying informed. These things make for a good partnership, for sure. But also just the ability to be super honest and transparent. If you’re not happy, I want to know.

What impact do you hope Neighborhood Literary will have on authors and publishing?

I’m hoping that people will try to be a bit more open about the industry. I mean, we already see it with colleagues who have podcasts (check out Laura Zats and Erik Hane’s Print Run), who run organizations dedicated to uplifting marginalized writers. Beth Phelan founded #DVpit and the influence that has had is impossible to measure. Even people in the industry are doing things like Literary Agents of Change. We can always do more though, for sure.

Eric Smith is an award-winning Young Adult author and literary agent living in Philadelphia. He’s worked with New York Times-bestselling and critically acclaimed authors across genres and categories, and is the founder of Neighborhood Literary.